Fatal Pedestrian Crash Victim in Malden Identified

MALDEN – Middlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan and Malden Chief of Police Kevin Molis have confirmed the identity of the victim from the Malden fatal crash at Huntington Street as Athena Hartwell, 86, resident of an elderly housing facility in the area. 

The driver, a 28-year-old Malden man, has been cited for operation of a motor vehicle with a suspended license. The driver’s name is not being released at this time and a court date has not been scheduled.

The preliminary investigation suggests that on March 8, 2021, at approximately 1:38 p.m., Athena Hartwell was walking westbound on Hunting Street in the area of Salem Street when a Black Toyota RAV4 struck her. Detectives learned that a 28-year-old male was in the vehicle on the property of an auto body shop located across the street when the vehicle crashed through the door of the shop and traveled across the street before striking the woman. The victim was pronounced dead on scene. The driver of the vehicle remained on the scene and was transported to an area hospital.

This investigation is being conducted by the Middlesex District Attorney’s Office, Malden Police and the Massachusetts State Police Crash Analysis and Reconstruction Section (CARS).